Kentucky Wildcats Fire Head Coach Mark Stoops

On Sunday, the Kentucky Wildcats parted ways with head football coach Mark Stoops, following a series of disappointing seasons. Reports confirm this decision after a tough regular season wrapped up in a 41-0 defeat against the Louisville Cardinals.

After the loss, Stoops expressed his commitment to the role, stating emphatically, “There’s a zero percent chance that I’m going to walk away.” He continued, “As far as I’m concerned, I’m going to be here. I can’t control what decisions are made right now. If you asked me, I said zero. Zero means zero.”

This marks the second year in a row that Kentucky will not participate in a bowl game, with the team finishing 4-8 in 2024 and 5-7 in 2025. A notable loss to Vanderbilt earlier in the season added to their struggles, culminating in the heavy defeat against Louisville.

Stoops joined the Wildcats as head coach before the 2013 season. His first year was challenging, with a 2-10 record, but he gradually turned the program around, leading the Wildcats to 10 wins in 2018—an achievement not seen since 1977.

By the end of his tenure, Stoops emerged as the most successful coach in Kentucky football history, with a record of 72-80. Following his firing, he is slated to receive a $36 million buyout within 60 days.

The future of Kentucky’s coaching staff is uncertain. With Stoops’ departure, there’s speculation about who might take over, especially as several other SEC programs, like LSU, Ole Miss, Auburn, Arkansas, and Florida, made coaching changes over the weekend.